Champions Online: new hero profile, the Witchcraft

Witchcraft
Bethany Duquesne and her twin sister Pamela were raised in a quiet home in an upper-middle-class suburb of Detroit. The girls participated in scouts and school activities, and by all appearances had a typical, uninteresting Midwestern upbringing.

Things aren’t always as they appear. Bethany and Pamela’s parents were magic users devoted to dark powers that lurk on the edges of our reality. And they groomed their daughters to follow in their footsteps.

Pamela, a cruel and spiteful child, eagerly followed this path. But Bethany was kind and gentle at heart, and she found her parents’ rituals disturbing. So she rebelled by being the nicest person she could be.

The twins were to be inducted into their parents’ coven, the Circle of the Scarlet Moon, on the night of their 18th birthday. Bethany watched her sister exultantly speak the oaths and perform the blood sacrifices that would tie her forever to the dark powers. Then, horrified, Bethany fled, using her innate magic ability to escape her family and their coven.

Bethany wandered aimlessly for a time, using magic to survive the harsh life of the streets. Eventually she drifted into Vibora Bay and got a job at an occult bookstore. There, Bethany used her powers once or twice to stop street crimes and save innocent people from peril, and found that she enjoyed helping others.

Bethany’s activities attracted the attention of the Trismegistus Council, a group of wizards dedicated to helping mankind. They took Bethany under their care, and completed her training.

Bethany was content to remain with the Council for several years, but eventually felt a call to return to her home. Detroit had become Millennium City by this time, but there were still people on the streets who needed her help.

Taking the name Witchcraft, Bethany operated as a solo superhero, but always felt that there was more she could do. When Defender issued the call for heroes to join his Champions, Witchcraft joined the team with the hope that a group of heroes could accomplish deeds no single superhero could do.

About Witchcraft

Witchcraft is the quietest member of The Champions, preferring to remain in the background while Defender or other, more outspoken members of the team grab the spotlight.

Her reclusiviness is partly because she is gentle and soft-spoken by nature, but also because she feels she has been “tainted” by her family’s evil ways; and therefore isn’t worthy to be a superhero. At times her self-doubt causes her to hesitate when she should act decisively.

Being a member of The Champions has helped Witchcraft start to gain some confidence in herself and her abilities. She’s found a friend and a partner in Defender, and their tentative romance could help Witchcraft blossom into the hero she has the potential to be.

Witchcraft is a naturally gifted spellcaster. While many of her spells are weak, she has a talent that few can match. As her skills and confidence grow, so will her power  some members of the Trismegistus Council predict that someday Witchcraft will be one of the greatest spellcasters on Earth.

The Circle of the Scarlet Moon is eager to reclaim Witchcraft’s power, and continues to pursue her. The coven’s machinations make Witchcraft’s life difficult, but even worse for her is the murderous ire of her twin sister, who has rejected the teachings of the Circle and struck out on her own as the supervillain Talisman.

Talisman will stop at nothing to destroy Witchcraft, and Witchcraft has decided it is her sad responsibility to put a stop to her sister’s evil deeds. Recently, Witchcraft has received reports that Talisman has been seen in the Southwest Desert. She’ll need allies to find out what her sister’s nefarious plans are.